The Trocks Offstage and in Community
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo strives to engage communities as an extension of the work the company does onstage. As a world-class all-male comic ballet company, the company is constantly defying expectations and rearticulating absolutes when it comes to dance, ballet and gender.
In the Trocks Community Engagement Work, the Trocks offer technique classes, movement and comedy workshops, and lecture demonstrations that uncover, encourage and celebrate the unique qualities of participants. This is achieved through creative practices that parallel the rigorous preparation and performance – and fun! – for which the troupe is known worldwide.
The Trocks remain committed to supporting, mentoring, and inspiring the next generation of LGBTQ performers and arts appreciators, supporting the LGBTQ elderly and LGBTQ youth through the proliferation of dance engagement activities with its community partners in New York City, and serving as an integral link to the history and traditions of LGBTQ performance.
As part of that commitment, the Company’s NYC Dance Engagement Initiative offers low- or no-cost workshops in ballet, comedy, creative process, drag and more for vulnerable LGBTQ elderly and youth in conjunction with partnerships with SAGE, Greenwich House, and Ali Forney Center.
The company offers this work at home in New York City, on tour around the world, and virtually for participants around the globe through platforms like Zoom and Streamyard.
Some examples of workshops the company offers:
Master Class / Repertory Workshop
Taught by the Ballet Master or a Senior Company Member, participants will be given a short barre and some center work before learning excerpts of classical repertoire: first as traditionally performed by the world’s great ballet companies, followed by the Trocks’ satirical version.
Dying Swan Workshop
Participants (dancers and non-dancers of all ages) are given a short warmup and will then be taught the Dying Swan with a comic touch, from which they build their own interpretation of the terminal fowl.
Makeup Seminar
An opportunity to see how the Trocks transform from dancer to diva. Join a company member in their dressing room to watch a makeup demonstration and chat about makeup, ballet, and life as a Trock.
Panel or Round table discussion
Members of the artistic leadership team and company members discuss the company’s history following its inception in the wake of the Stonewall riots, using archival videos to illustrate the Trocks’ approach to ballet, gender and drag performance.
Extended Workshop Series
Participants have the opportunity to put their name in lights alongside the likes of legendary Trockadero personas like Dame Margot Loweyn-Octeyn, Ida Nevasayneva and Yuri Smirnov. Through a series of 5-6 workshops (tailored to fit the needs of residency partners), attendees will discover their inner Trockadero persona, including development of their very own personalized Trockadero name and biography. Each workshop uses a different Trockadero work as a jumping off point to explore elements of ballet as a basis for choreography and creative work by participants. If desired, these workshops will culminate in an informal showing of the work created during the workshop sessions. Series can be tailored to different communities, including youth and seniors.
